


Mantras and Memories

by Eillac



Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-13
Updated: 2012-08-13
Packaged: 2017-11-12 02:09:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/485498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eillac/pseuds/Eillac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With a ringing in his ears and reactor cold in his chest, Tony closes his eyes and remembers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mantras and Memories

**Author's Note:**

> Part of this one shot was inspire by the art of the very talented joannaestep: http://joannaestep.tumblr.com/post/12496640419/more-steve-tony-fluff-because-im-not-tired-of-it

_“Go, I’m right behind you.”  
I’m right behind you._ _  
Go._ _  
Go, I’m right behind you._   
As Tony laid in the rubble, broken fingers twisting in the dirt, his words playing like a loop through his head, again and again and again.  
 _Go, I’m right behind you._  
Because Steve wouldn’t have gone to help his team if Tony needed him.  
(But Tony always needed him.)  
Because Steve trusted Tony, and did as he was told.  
 _Go, I’m right behind you.  
Go_ _._  
As he bled, the parts of the suit that hadn’t been torn off trapping him on the ground, Tony fantasized about what he would do if he could lift his hand.   
He’d reach through time, pull it apart, and pluck his words from twenty minutes ago and pull them back, replace them.  
 _“Run.”  
“Stay with me.”_ _  
“Oh god I’m sorry please don’t oh god oh god Steve don’t leave me alone...”_ _  
“Go... home.”_   
Go, I’m right behind you.  
His mouth tasted like metal, blood rising up Tony’s throat and spilling out his lips. Nothing _everything_ hurt, and it exhausted him to even turn his head and look at the burning ruins in front of him.  
 _“Do you need me?”  
“Go, I’m right behind you.”_ _  
And then Captain America gave him a grin and lifted his shield, running into the building where the rest of his team was waiting. And then Tony was flying through the air, ears ringing from the force of the blast._ _  
And then against every wish he opened his eyes again._   
Tony didn’t need to see the reactor.  
He knew.  
 _Steve laid in bed, pressed against Tony’s side, book propped up against his legs. Tony scowled.  
“Do I look like a reading light to you Rogers?”_ _  
And then Steve Rogers gave him a grin and lifted his hand, tapping it against the glowing metal in Tony’s chest._ _  
“No, but this does.”_   
It sat dead it his chest, and if he could feel anything Tony would feel the metal sliding into the tissue of his heart, a journey years in the making  
( _this is a very important week for you_ )  
that ended in dirt and flames and a ringing in his ears.  
Go.  
I’ll be right behind you.


End file.
